The Midnight Circle
by DarkDefender89
Summary: title B: Behind The Lines in The Midnight Treehouse The gang plays a game of truth or dare in the woods at midnight....the rest will unfold on its own....
1. Chapter 1

**Behind The Lines In The Midnight Tree House/The Midnight Circle**

**(A/N: I decided to give this a shot, tell me what you think………..)**

Why did this have to happen! That darn reporter! Why did the press always jump to conclusions?!?!

Anyways, what the press didn't know, was that they were kind of on to something. One night, Lilly, Oliver, Jackson, Jake, Miley, and Sarah all met in the secret clubhouse in the woods. It was midnight, of course, like it always was when they met. It was a secret no one would ever discover. It was a secret, elite, little club….well, it wasn't really elite. It was more like….all of the people who kept who they really are inside, living a masquerade by day and revealing their true selves by night. At first it had only been Miley, Lilly, and Oliver, but for some reason Lilly decided Miley's brother, Jackson, should join. Miley eventually was able to convince Jake to join. Later on the gang decided Sarah was definitely perfect material for the secret club.

And it wasn't really that much of a mystery who liked who, that first night when the six of them met in their hut that Miley and Lilly had built deep in the forest. The dark forest green leaves blew into Miley's ethereal face amidst the black of the night. It was a windy night, dust spiraling where it didn't belong; things going to places where they didn't belong. There were several grayish clouds in the sky, concealing the once lustrous stars that once reigned over the night sky. So yeah, even in the dark, you could probably guess who liked who. At least, that is, you think you can. But the lines weren't always that cliché, and normal was not always the only way.

It all started with a simple game of truth or dare. Really, it's not that dangerous of a game. It all depends on the questions, and the dares. It depends on how far off the dares are….and to what extent the dares get out of hand. Because, at first, dares are _just_ dares…they are like a fiction story, of something that was never intended and definitely not meant; things only done to prove non-cowardice. But the more a person pretends, the more pretend becomes intermingled with the truth…the more lies gets blended with secrets that shouldn't be true, but, nonetheless, are. And once something has already become, you can't evade it, no matter how wrong it is.

It was Oliver's idea. Well, originally. In the end, it was him who begged for the game to stop. But lets not get that far yet; the story's still young.

"I know," Oliver said, with his usual over-confidant, happy but donut-ish voice, "Let's play truth-or-dare."

And there isn't a person in the entire world who can resist playing truth-or-dare, because who doesn't feel drawn to the idea that for one moment, you are in control of another person? It's powerful, and you think you can control them; make them tell the truth. But there is a thin line between truth and lies, and a person can tell the truth with it not really being the truth….it could be an irrelevant truth, or a truth that is not the whole truth. But the dares….those can't be dodged or side-stepped. Yes, dares were the glory of the infamous game of "truth-or-dare."

"Sure," everyone said at once, in unison. Except for Sarah. She had protested; she thought it was a bad idea, what it being midnight and dark. "Things could happen," she had said nervously.

"_Of course_ things could happen," Miley had said spookily, "That's the _whole point _of the game."

"But…." Sarah had protested.

"Come 'on," Lilly said, trying to take the eerie away from the dark, "It'll be fun. Nothing will happen. Miley was only joshing with you."

"But…" Sarah protested.

"Sarah…." Lilly started, "It was _Oliver's _idea. _What_ could happen?"

"Hey!" Oliver said.

"Fine, fine," Sarah said, reluctantly obliging.

But they _all _got into the game. Even Sarah.

Oliver started, since it was his idea. "Lilly, truth or dare?" Oliver asked. Lilly whispered, in the spirit of the game, "Truth." For a while silence hovered in between them. The wind blew, spiraling first around Oliver's face, then snaking up and around Lilly's cheekbone and circling her wide blue eyes. "Okay," Oliver said, "What's your middle name?" "That's the _best _you can come up with?" Jake asked. "Hey, don't interrupt the game. It takes the mystic-ness away," Lilly said. Jake looked at her like she was crazy, and then said, "Fine." After that, there was silence, except for the game. Any words outside of the game were forbidden. "Rose," Lilly answered. Then, of course, it was Lilly's turn. She turned to Miley. "Miley," she said, "Truth or dare." Miley picked truth. "Who do you like?" Lilly asked. "I'm in-between. Right now, I don't like anyone." Okay, that might have been harsh, but it was the truth. Jake's turn. "Jake, truth or dare," Miley said. "Dare," Jake said. That was _so _like him, to pick dare on his first turn. "Umm…." Miley started, not sure what to have Jake do, "….take off your shoes and stand on top of the tree house and sing "I'm A Little Tea-Pot." "Hey!" Jake said, but he did it, because, after all, the game was the game, and the only rule was you had to play fair….and that the person who dared you was in control of you, if only for that moment. So, Jake took his shoes off and twisted his way out of the tree-house and stood on top of the tree-house and sang "I'm A Little Tea-Pot." At first, the dares were silly like this. It was Jake's turn next. "Oliver, truth or dare?" Jake asked. "Dare," Oliver said. "Okay then," Jake said (in his theatre voice), "Kiss Lilly." There was awkward silence. But everyone knew that Oliver secretly liked Lilly, and Lilly secretly liked Oliver. But neither of them wanted to admit it, so Oliver quickly kissed Lilly on the cheek. Secretly, Lilly was wishing that he would have kissed her on the lips, and that the kiss had lasted for more than a mere half-a-second. Since Oliver had already gone, it was Sarah's turn. She asked Jackson. "Jackson, truth or dare." "Truth," Jackson said. "How many girlfriends have you had?" Jackson lowered his head and said, "None." It was then Jackson's turn, and Sarah was the only person who hadn't been asked, so Jackson asked Sarah. "Sarah, truth or dare?" he asked. "Truth," Sarah said. "Why do you care about the environments so much?" Jackson asked. "Because it's our home and it's important and if we don't preserve it, it will deteriorate and the happiness of others will fade away," Sarah said, almost like a robot, but not quite. They played several rounds, the first six or seven rounds consisting of silly questions, and even stupider dares. Nothing that could have a lasting impact. But around the eighth round, things started to change. Oliver asked Lilly, "truth or dare." Lilly replied, "dare.' "Climb down from the tree house and run naked in the forest." Reluctantly, Lilly did so. Next, Lilly asked Miley. "Truth or dare, Miley?" Lilly asked. "Dare," Miley said. "Sing….If We Were A Movie," Lilly said. Would people recognize her voice? Not if she disguised it. And since she was such a good singer, she was able to sing it beautifully yet have it sound completely and entirely different from Hannah Montana. Several more rounds were played, and some of the dares were hard, some of them were embarrassing, but none of them challenged the line-the line between what was right, and what was wrong. Well, at least, not completely. And none of the dares were completely thought provoking, but they were mythical and mystical, and the six teenagers felt like they had been transported elsewhere, and reality played no part in anything that any of them did during the game. But then it was Lilly's turn again, and of course by then the game had taken control of all of their minds. "Miley, truth or dare?" she asked. "Truth," Miley replied. "Besides….you know….what's your darkest secret?" Miley wasn't sure how to respond, because besides…you know….Miley didn't _have_ a "darkest secret." And she couldn't make one up, because that would be breaking the rules of the game. "I don't have one….yet," Miley said, eerily. Little did she know, she was self-predicting her future. Maybe since it had to be the truth, the game's magic would_ make _it be the truth, and the small but real word "yet" would come alive and by the end of the night she _would _have a _deep, dark_ secret. Miley asked Jake truth or dare, and Jake picked dare, and Miley dared Jake to kiss Sarah, on the lips. Then Jake asked Oliver truth or dare, and Oliver picked truth, and Jake asked Oliver if he liked Lilly, and Oliver said, "Yes." Soon it came to Sarah's turn. Remember, it was Sarah who had been reluctant to play the game. But now, she was completely in it, and she hadn't forgotten what Miley had said to her…that _of course _things could happen…that was the _whole point_ of the game. "Jackson, truth or dare?" Sarah asked. Of course, Jackson chose dare, because he was just that kind of person. She spoke in a low, barely audible whisper, her voice traveling with the mystical ways of the wind…the wind that traces things and makes them come to life, bloom, and reveal themselves. The wind resurfaced, yet again, spiraling around Jackson's face as Sarah spoke, her voice so soft, and so scary, and somehow sinister. "Kiss Miley."


	2. Chapter 2

He didn't, of course, because even though it was truth-or-dare, Miley was his _sister_. The circle was broken, right then and there, because everyone knew that it was just wrong. _Wrong. According to the dictionary, "wrong" meant "an action or situation that does not conform to the ideas of morality or justice; behavior that is morally or socially unacceptable._ The game broke apart, but that didn't mean that the damage wasn't done. What was done was done; it now lied in the hands of fate. And, well, the thoughts now forced into everybody's head. Because, a brother can not kiss his sister. Well, at least not in that way. But once something gets stuck in one's head, it's pretty hard to pull it out.

And so it didn't really help much that the next night that reporter had caught Hannah Montana and Jackson together, and had jumped to the conclusion that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. Everything that happened that week: going with it so Jackson could have publicity, and then staging the break-up….well, to put it one way, it had been weird. And it had been like the Midnight Circle was magical; as if it could predict….or alter….the future. So of course it would be expected that the next several Midnight Tree house meetings would be kind-of awkward. And, of course, they were.

Did they feel like the game of truth-or-dare had been responsible for what had happened that week? No, probably not; not on the surface, that is. On the surface, everyone dismissed it as though it was nothing, and _of course _they weren't to blame. It wasn't like truth-or-dare equated to voodoo dolls or something freaky like that.

And, of course, they played truth-and-dare again. It wasn't as freaky as the last night, because everyone was secretly trying to prevent _things _from happening.

But wasn't that the whole point of the game? Miley herself had said it. _Things happen._ Secrets grow. Darkness becomes reality. Weird becomes a little less weird. Right? And in the game, did things that one might originally think were taboo, become a little bit less taboo?

Night after night, the midnight meetings continued. But none of them realized that something was brewing in the misty air. Jackson was starting to open his eyes for his sister; and vice-versa. Never before had it ever been out in the question. Never before had it been in the picture. Now that it was, it was only natural that they would wonder.

Both of them, of course, denied it to themselves, telling themselves that it was morally wrong, and it wouldn't work, and besides, the other probably didn't feel the same way.

Miley used to see Jackson as a dork that always seemed to mess up and always seemed to be getting in trouble. But was it just a trick of the light….an illusion…, or was Jackson's hair looking darker and bushier; his body more muscular and less…well, unlookatable….were his eyes bluer, so wide, like an incessant, never-ending tunnel that spiraled forever into ethereal darkness? 'Stop it', Miley said to herself, because she didn't wanting to be thinking what she found herself thinking. She didn't want to be thinking that her brother was strong and hot and perfect. It was wrong…right?

But when it went down to the bottom line, whenever she had needed help in the past, he had been there for her. Whenever she found herself in sticky situations, he had been there for her. When she came close to revealing her secret, he had dressed up as a fake Elvis to help her conceal her secret. He didn't _have to_ do that. And when she had bought all that junk with her _emergency_ credit-card, Jackson had helped…well, _tried_ to help….her fix everything. He took her to her Hannah Montana concerts, and he never complained that she got all the limelight and he got none-nilch, zero, nada.

Everyone else she had liked had, well…betrayed her. Jake had led her on (after being an ego-maniac) and then she had found out that he was cheating on her. They broke up, and somehow managed to salvage their friendship, but any possibility of a relationship was OVER, with a capital O. And Oliver was his donut-ish self that never took anything seriously. Besides, he was her _friend_, and that would be just awkward…plus, _everyone_ knew that he has liked Lilly since who knows when. She had tried to have a relationship with that Josh boy, but he had dumped her because they had a horrible date and they didn't really click; not to mention, he didn't even like Hannah Montana. And who was there, when her icy teardrops fell onto her guitar as she sang her sad, bittersweet love songs? Her father, and Jackson. Sometimes he could be weird and sometimes he did stupid things, but when it came down to the bottom line, he was a cool guy. He was sweet, concealed by the masquerade of a tough guy.

'Stop it,' Miley told herself, because she _really, really, really _didn't want to be thinking what she was thinking. But, for some reason, she couldn't get her brother out of her head, and she didn't like it. _Not one bit._


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N: Miley is in 10th grade; Jackson is in 11th grade.)

It was truth-or-dare, but that didn't mean it wasn't real. Miley walked into her Hannah closet and laid down on the soft, fluffy pink couch/chair that she had in the center of the closet. She had room in the closet to do interpretive dance to songs-both songs she wrote, and songs other artists sung. The chair came in handy. Plus, of course, it was comfortable, for times like this when she just wanted to lie down on her stomach and stare at the ground and close her eyes and forget everything. Maybe it could take her to an alternate realm where confusion was obliterated.

Miley felt numb and confused. She wanted to sing to soothe her soul but she couldn't find the strength. She felt empty and alone in the world and she felt like she couldn't be herself. She couldn't do what she loved to do: make music:, because she was hurting so much. She didn't even know why. She just felt tired and she hated the world. Not forever. Just right now; just today.

There had been no school today because it was Saturday. Her veins felt cold. She shivered. She reached for her remote and turned music on, loud, so loud, so it could compensate for the bereft-ness she felt.

But it didn't seem to help.

Soon she heard her father call out, "Miley, turn down your music! It's too loud!"

"Fine!" Miley said nonchalantly, lowering the music a little bit. She wasn't really listening to it, anyways. Then a song by Lifehouse came on the radio. It was "Hanging by a Moment". Miley listened to the lyrics, her eyes bright, wide, and staring at the off-white carpet.

She sang along, with a soft voice, barely there. Her voice came in only in waves, and it was interrupted by tears, but there was a bittersweet beauty to it.

Desperate for changing

Starving for truth

Closer where i Started

Chasing after you

i'm falling even more in love with you

letting go of all i've held onto

i'm standing here until you make me move

i'm hanging by a moment here with you

Miley closed her eyes to thwart tears from falling onto her face. She really was letting go of all she held onto. She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, stared at her pallid reflection in the cracked mirror, and continued singing.

forgetting all i'm lacking

completely incomplete

i'll take your invitation

you take all of me

now.. i'm falling even more in love with you

letting go of all i've held onto

i'm standing here until you make me move

i'm hanging by a moment here with you

And it was true. It really was. No one knew it, but the more she was alone, the deeper and deeper into this trance she fell. She was falling in love with her brother. Everything he did was perfect. His soul was strong and beautiful. And in a world that was full of pain and isolation and masquerades and make-up, maybe he could be the first person to actually see her for who she really was. Miley thought about the seventh grade dance, when they had pretended to "go out" because neither of them had anyone to dance with and she realized how ironic it was because even though it was pretend then, now she found herself wishing it had been true. She wondered what she had been thinking, unconsciously. Before it was too late, could she resurface alive?

She sang along with the rest of the song.

i'm living for the only thing i know

i'm running and not quite sure where to go

i don't know what i'm diving into

just hanging by a moment here with you

there's nothing else to lose

nothing left to find

there's nothing in the world

that could change my mind

there is nothing else

there is nothing else...

Desperate for changing

Starving for truth

Closer where i Started

Chasing after you

i'm falling even more in love with you

letting go of all i've held onto

i'm standing here until you make me move

i'm hanging by a moment here with you

i'm living for the only thing i know

i'm running and not quite sure where to go

i don't know what i'm diving into

just hanging by a moment here with you

just hanging by a moment

hanging by a moment..

hanging by a moment...

hanging by a moment here with you..

Then Miley put on a CD and put on the track that was "If Everyone Cared" by Nickelback. She noted the lyrics "I never dreamed that you'd be mine, but here we are, we're here tonight" and "And in the end the fireflies our only light in paradise; we'll show the world that they wrong and teach them all to sing along, singing amen I, I'm alive…" (maybe it was the rest of the world that was wrong. Not her. Because when something's pure, how can it be wrong or evil? How could something be wrong, when it felt so right?) and "And as we lie beneath the stars, we realize how small we are. If they could love like you and me, imagine what the world could be."

Miley turned her CD player off and sighed. Maybe putting on a good outfit would make her feel better. She put on a lace-black camisole, a flowy white silk skirt, and black leather boots. She put make-up and blow-dried her hair. She sat down on the pink chair and she looked like a model in a picture in Elle or Vogue.

But she still felt like ice inside.

She felt inundated with too many feelings. They canceled each other out, and it cam to nothingness.

She walked over to a clothes rack and grabbed a long, black silk cardigan that went down to her knees and put it on. Then she put on a black pearl necklace. She went back to the pink chair and sat down and closed her eyes. If she slept with beautiful clothes on, maybe her dreams would be beautiful.

She heard someone knock on her closet door. Miley sighed. She didn't really want to get up but she forced herself to.

"Who is it?" she asked.

"It's Jackson," he said.

"What are you doing in my room?" Miley asked defensively as she opened the door to her closet.

He evaded her question. "What are you all dressed up for?" he asked.

"Nothing," Miley said.

Jackson snickered.

"Well," Miley said, a little bit angrily but not too angrily, "What are you doing in my room?"

"Um….Dad sent me up here to tell you to get ready for a concert. But I guess you already knew."

(She didn't).

"You're lying," Miley said.

"Then why else are you dressed up?"

"Who said these aren't my pajamas?"

"You sleep in boots?"

"Yeah, why not?"

Jackson left the room and Miley regretted that he left. But Miley couldn't help but wonder what he had come up there for. She changed out of her outfit and put on her regular clothes (sweatpants and a loose vintage-y gray T-shirt) and walked downstairs. She didn't wash her make-up off, because it looked good.

"Dinner will be ready soon," her father said.

"I'm not hungry," Miley said.

"Are you sure?" her father asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," Miley said.

"Okay, then, bud," he said. Miley wondered if he could tell that something was different lately.

It was all because of that stupid truth-or-dare game. Or was it? Could a silly game really be that powerful?

Miley ran back up to her room. Her phone rang. It was Lilly.

"Hi Miley," Lilly said on the other end of the phone line.

"Hi Lilly," Miley said.

"What's wrong?" Lilly asked.

"Nothing's wrong," Miley said.

"I know you better than that. You're lying," Lilly said.

"No I'm not," Miley said.

"_I know_…_you like someone,"_ Lilly said, "tell me tell me tell me….who do you like who do you like?!?!"

"I do _not_ like anyone…and calm down, Lilly, we're sixteen, for God's sake, you're acting like we're still in middle school and its still "crushes" instead of "boyfriends"."

"Fine, whatever…but you're hiding something, then…." Lilly said.

"No, I'm not," Miley said. Then she said, "fine, remember that truth-or-dare game we played last year, when we were still freshmen…you know, the midnight circle…."

"Oh, _that_ silly thing?" Lilly asked.

"It was _not_ silly," Miley protested.

"Like truth-or-dare can really foretell things…." Lilly started to say, sarcastically. Almost. Almost sarcastically. But not quite. There was something else there, like she was thinking. That would be a first. Lilly, thinking, that is.

"It can," Miley said.

"Really?" Lilly asked in a dark, mysterious voice.

Because, really, Lilly did think; she just hid it.

"Yeah," Miley said. Suddenly her verve was back.

"'Ya wanna start it up again?" Lilly asked.

Miley wasn't afraid anymore. Of that last game of truth-or-dare, when Jackson had been dared to kiss her. She wasn't afraid of the magic of the midnight circle. She wanted to use the magic.

"Yeah," Miley said. Because, they couldn't lose that. Even as they split into their different groups, the ties at midnight would be the ties that bind. The truth, the purity, the magic. The midnight circles brought outsiders together; it shattered the invisible glass walls of the clichés and groups; it abolished all rules; nothing was cliché or trapped by boundaries. Everything was accepted.

"I'll call Oliver," Lilly said, even though Miley knew it had been a while since either of them had spoken to Oliver.

"I'll call Sarah," Miley said, even though she knew that now Sarah was considered a misfit.

Lilly was a cheerleader; Miley was in the drama club; Oliver was a loner kind of like Robin from the teen titans; Sarah was an obsessive environmentalist; Jackson was a straight-A student; Jake was one of the popular boys. He was, after all, famous.

Maybe, just maybe, the midnight circle would resurface alive. Because once you are friends, and you take the oath of blood at midnight in a make-shift tree-house, there is really no escaping the ties that bind….

….and maybe, just maybe…..

….the magic starts with one simple, innocent game of truth-or-dare….


	4. Chapter 4

Miley put on her Hannah wig and ran on stage, smiling at the cheering audience. She waved and danced, resonating a happy, upbeat mood. Some of it was a façade; some of it wasn't. She was wearing a loose long-sleeved, silk, glittery sleek silver shirt and a black velvet skirt. She wore a black beaded vintage necklace. She wore silver eye shadow and subtle black eyeliner. Miley smiled as she sang her song, "The Best of Both Worlds." She went on to singing "I've Got Nerve" and "Pumping up The Party." Then she sang "If We Were A Movie."

These were her old songs; her songs from middle school. But she was sixteen now; she was a sophomore in high school. She had new songs, of course.

She sang her latest song, "Falling Down Without You":

I'm smiling

Standing on the edge of this forever plane

I'm dancing on this gilded edge

Playing this fantasy game

When will you see through this masquerade

When will you see these burning flames

I'm getting tired of waiting

'Cause I'm falling down without you

I'm falling down without you

With every step I slip

Maybe I'm losing my mind

Is sanity overrated?

I walk around chains on my arms

Can't you see I'm bound to the ground

I'm numb

I don't feel a thing

But when I see your eyes

I want you

I need you

And I'm falling down without you.

With every step I slip

Maybe I'm losing my mind

Is sanity overrated?

I don't know who I am anymore

It isn't right that I love you

But I do

Sometimes I wonder if you love me back

But it doesn't matter

'Cause I think my soul is bleeding now

'Cause I'm falling down without you.

With every step I slip

Maybe I'm losing my mind

Is sanity overrated?

Once I had nerve

Do I still have the verve

To tell you how I feel

Every step is a little too cautious

I find I'm not myself

You knock on my door and I find we're holding hands

I'm wearing my sleek new outfit

But all you see is another friend

Why can't you see my pained smile

Why can't you see

I'm falling down without you.

With every step I slip

Maybe I'm losing my mind

Is sanity overrated?

And I don't know

But once I tell you I love you

There's no going back

But I don't wanna go back

I still got nerve

I still got verve

I don't wanna fall down, baby,

I don't wanna fall down.

I don't wanna fall down.

The audience cheered, and then Miley sang another of her more recent songs, "It Happened At Midnight":

It happened at midnight

When I first saw your face

I first saw your eyes and your jagged embrace

It happened at midnight; the magic began

I don't wanna erase the past

I know the future will be vast.

Now we're smiling

And we're still going on

We'll still be moving along.

I don't know what to say nor what to do

But I wanna be with you.

They say love is blind but me, I see best in the dark

The heart's reason may be askew

But I trust it

It happened at midnight

When I first really saw you.

It happened at midnight; the magic began

I don't wanna erase the past

I know the future will be vast.

Now you're smiling

We're both smiling

Maybe this world ain't so bad after all.

Maybe this world ain't so bad after all.

The crowd cheered. Miley said thank you and goodnight (the usual end of concert greeting) and ran off stage. She got into her limo and took off her itchy wig.

But the usual limo driver was dead. There was blood everywhere. And a man in a dark, black outfit and a black mask shrouding his eyes sat in the driver's seat. Miley screamed, but no one heard her. Not even the security guards, because they had been drugged.

Miley stared at the blood. Her driver was dead; her family wasn't anywhere to be seen. She closed her eyes and panicked when the hijacker grabbed her skinny arms…..


	5. Chapter 5

Lilly had decided not to go to Miley's concert that night. The girls had decided that while Miley was giving her concert, Lilly would make the necessary phone calls. She wondered if they really could get the midnight game thingy started again. Had they split too far, with too many branches? Had the silver mercury spread too thin, that there was none left? In reality, was there anything left to salvage?

Lilly wasn't sure if Miley's brother, the older, hot straight A student would want to be bothered by silly sophomores. And Sarah was way too….well, weird, and stoic-ish. Well, that's probably not a real word, but for Lilly, nonsense like that (whether a word was real or not) didn't really matter.

So Lilly decided Oliver might be the easiest to persuade. Maybe he missed the magic, too. She guessed that it was probably too superstitious to call it magic, but it felt like magic nonetheless. It had been eerie, almost creepy. It had always sent a shiver down her spine. And she had fallen in love with that feeling. She had become addicted to it. Why had they discontinued the meetings, anyways? Lilly wasn't even sure, really. She guessed that they all just went in their separate directions. Sarah had been the first one to call it quits, though. What was it that she had said, again? Oh yeah, she said that "things could happen."

What things?

Lilly had to admit, she had felt that way too. And even though it kind of crept her out, she kind of sort of almost _wanted_ "things" to happen. Only kind of sort of. But it was there, nonetheless….the hatred of the normal and undisturbed; the urge for something shadowy or sinister. Lilly had never been sure _what _exactly could have happened, but they went out in the middle of the night and chanted things and traipsed around in pitch black slippery conditions…._something_ had to happen.

Why didn't anything happen?

Had they been too afraid to let anything happen? In eighth grade, and in ninth grade, had they been cowards? Had they been cowards to allow the whole thing to wane, or were they merely subconsciously wise?

Lilly held her telephone, staring at it intently. She was almost scared to call Oliver. It had been ages since she had spoken with him. It would feel so awkward. And she never told anyone, but she had always secretly liked Oliver. And one would think distance would pull her feelings farther away from him, but it did more of the opposite. She felt more and more obsessed each day. But he couldn't possibly like her, could he?

'Stop,' Lilly told herself. Because this midnight circle thing, it wasn't really about who likes who. It was so much deeper; it penetrated far past the flesh. It was about connection of the soul, not connection of the body. It was about blind sagacity and emotionless emotion. It was about a million paradoxes infiltrating the farthest corners of the eyes. It was about daring to learn the rules, and then disobey them.

Lilly typed the first four digits of Oliver's phone number into her phone, shaking. Was she really going to do this?

'I have to,' she told herself, 'For Miley's sake. Because I can tell something is haunting her.' But something was haunting Lilly too. _Why had they stopped?_ Lilly never knew, but she had this eerie feeling that everyone else knew something that she didn't. Maybe it was just in her head, though. A lot of things were, lately.

Lilly typed in the rest of the digits of Oliver's phone number. 'Don't be a coward,' she told herself, 'Do it.'

She closed her eyes and pressed the 'call' button. Here goes nothing.

She heard the dial tone. One ring, two ring, three ring….was he going to answer….the phone keeps ringing, and then Lilly got the message machine. How typical: "You have reached the Oken family; we are not here at the moment, please leave a message after the beep and we will get back to you as soon as possible."

Lilly sighed.

"Oliver…this is Lilly…I…um….I know you're not expecting me to call, and we're in different groups….but, um…this is really important. If you have the time, call me back? You do still have my number…..right? Well, anyways……." Lilly let her voice trail off.

There. She left a message. Maybe he would call her back. Maybe he wouldn't. Who knew these days?

oOoOoOoOoOoO

Lilly flopped down on the couch in her living room and wondered why Miley hadn't called yet. It was already 11:00 p.m. Shouldn't her concert be over by now?

'Oh well', Lilly thought. It would be another solo movie night-with just herself, a bag of popcorn, brownies, and ice cream….she ate so much, and she was still rail thin. Go figure. She plopped down on the couch, turned the TV on, and she saw….


	6. Chapter 6

_(A/N: in this story, Jackson doesn't look like he does in the show. He has dark, bushy, black-brown hair, dark eyes, and is skinny but well-built, and wiry. Like Mullet Fingers but taller and older and with dark hair.)_

_Lilly flopped down on the couch in her living room and wondered why Miley hadn't called yet. It was already 11:00 p.m. Shouldn't her concert be over by now?_

'_Oh well', Lilly thought. It would be another solo movie night-with just herself, a bag of popcorn, brownies, and ice cream….she ate so much, and she was still rail thin. Go figure. She plopped down on the couch, turned the TV on, and she saw…._

She saw….a news announcer holding a microphone. "News is that the teen pop sensation, Hannah Montana, is missing. She was last seen getting into a black limo….her manager, Robby Ray, was found bloody and unconscious on the ground. He is now being treated in the hospital for gunshot wounds. His son, Jackson, is no where to be seen."

'Oh, no…Miley….' Lilly worried. If only she had come…maybe she could have saved Miley. Wait a minute…no she couldn't have. She was skin and bones, she couldn't stop a bulky murderer….murderer….was Miley dead…no…no…she can't be dead…they wouldn't kill her, would they? No, they couldn't…would they?

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Jackson had been backstage talking to girls while Miley and her father were getting into the limo. When he went outside, he found that the limo was gone…had they went home without him…then he saw blood on the ground…he realized that someone must have tried to kill them or something…those things only happen to other people but they _were_ other people…_famous other people…_.

He grabbed a bike and rode it; he was going to find the limo, no one was going t do anything to his sister or his father if he had anything to say in it….he was going to find them.

It was dark out but he was going to find them. He was determined. It was so dark…. He couldn't see…

It started to rain. _Nooo…_

Jackson started pedaling faster. He wished he knew where they were….he couldn't let anyone hurt his sister….beautiful Miley...wait, what did he just call her?...but she _is _beautiful…and now she's gone…how DARE someone try to hurt her…take her…

_Nooo……_

Jackson pedaled even faster, trying to get the gruesome mental image of some pervert choking Miley with a rope and jabbing her neck with a knife like he had seen on all those horror movies he had watched…no one could do that to his Miley…wait, what had he just thought? _His_ Miley? Well, she was his sister. Technically, she was his.

Jackson pedaled harder. He wondered where these thoughts were coming from. He tried to push them out of his mind.

No. He couldn't think about that. Not now. His sister was in danger…he had to pedal faster…he had to save her….

It was pouring rain; the rain was beating down so hard, in vicious spirals of fury. The rain was cold; it felt bitter and acerbic on Jackson's skin. He opened his mouth and let a cold raindrop fall on his tongue. He got off his bike and let it drop to the ground, echoing loud. Jackson pictures glasses shattering, and it thundered. There was lightning too. Jackson stared up at the gray clouds and the black sky. The moon wasn't anywhere in sight. He realized that he was lost; he had no idea where he was. But he couldn't think of himself, not right now, all that mattered was Miley….

Oh, God, he thought, don't let anything happen to her…Please, Lord….

'Just send me a sign that she will be alright….'

The thunder boomed again. It was so loud. It didn't sound boisterous or clamorous…it sounded more darkish and sinister……Jackson bent down and grabbed the metal handle of his bike. He picked his bike up and got back on the black rubber seat. He had to keep going…he had to keep pushing on……

He started to panic. He was hyperventilating. He couldn't let anything happen to Miley….her sweet, innocent blue eyes….her dark brown hair and her blond wig…her strong soul…he couldn't let anything happen to her…wait, he already did….this was all his fault. If he had only paid more attention to her, treated her better…no one would have abducted her. If he had been at the limo instead of talking to those stupid girls…he could have kicked that pervert's ass and then everything would have been okay…what was he doing with those girls anyways? He didn't love them…there was only one person he loved….Miley……'wait a minute, where did that come from?' he asked himself.

Wait…it didn't matter…not right now…right now, Miley was missing…so was his father….and what was he doing, out in the middle of nowhere in the darkest dark of night, while it was pouring rain…what was that going to do to help…? He couldn't find her….it wasn't fair…

He sat back down on the cold pavement and stared at the sky. It was useless…


	7. Chapter 7

_Wait…it didn't matter…not right now…right now, Miley was missing…so was his father….and what was he doing, out in the middle of nowhere in the darkest dark of night, while it was pouring rain…what was that going to do to help…? He couldn't find her….it wasn't fair…_

_He sat back down on the cold pavement and stared at the sky. It was useless…_

oOOOINCESToooooooooooINCESTOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOINCESTooooooooooINCESTOOOOOINCESToooooooINCESTOOOOooINCESTooooOOOOOoINCESTooo

Glass shattered, bouncing off the surface and echoing with resounding force. A million pieces scattered in different directions, dissipating at jagged angles. It was almost as if time had stopped, the light blue sky frozen icy white, staggering above all the civilians; raindrops frozen on their way down from the silver storm clouds. Grandfather Time went tic, toc, tic, toc; the watch was still on….he never stopped roaring, for he was the monster that does _everybody_ in. You can stop the villain, you can stop the lovers, you can stop the ratty child or the crying baby, but one thing you could _never_ stop, no matter how hard you tried, was time.

Time was running out. It always did. In the small room an hour glass was tipped over; the sand was almost to the bottom again. And the hour glass was glued to the table, this time. There was blood on the protruding bones of her frail shoulders. The masked man had shoved her face into the sink, tugging on her hair. The wig had fallen off. "So it's an imposter," he said, growling. "Doesn't matter, anyways," he grunted, continuing to bang her head against the cold cement of the sink. Ten minutes, then he would pull her out and toss her head back in again. Her neck was jammed back and forth and back and forth, just like a voodoo doll, only it was direct; she was the real thing…not a mere doll of herself. The blood was a dull crimson; it was already starting to crumple and harden, and fresh droplets were already forming. She didn't feel it, anyways, by now. It had been hours; by now, she was numb. She could only hear the masked man and whoever it was he was standing with grunt as he banged her head into the icy sink. She could hear it; she couldn't feel the pain; by now she was only seeing spirals and spirals of black and blue and white stars; she felt dizzy and faint and she was only partially conscious.

In the background soft, eerie music played, barely at the decibel level of a whisper, but it was there, like ghosts, constantly haunting her, freaking her out. They had put it that way on purpose; to scare her; but it was soft enough that no one else could hear it and find them. The room was dark and murky and the floor was wet. Bang! The sound of someone slipping and falling down on the cold tile in the small room that would have been crowded if there were more than two adults and one half-dead teenager in it. The masked man let go of her skinny neck; limp she fell down backwards. Crash! The masked man rushed over to his fallen partner, for the moment ignoring his victim. He had fallen; in the dark it was hard to see his long alabaster hair and his icy white eyes. He was lying on the ground wearing a long white dress-coat. His skin was pale; his jaw was jagged and sharp; his nose was long, with a bump straight in the middle of it. He had slipped on the wet floor, and now he had fallen.

The masked man leaned down. His long black hair was wet from sweat; he put on such a hard outer-surface that you couldn't tell what he was feeling inside…you couldn't tell how nervous he was….you couldn't see the little boy crying, watching helpless as his father jabbed his sister, who he loved dearly, in the throat. So many years ago, it had happened. He could still see that bloody knife; every time he closed his eyes he could hear his sister's piercing scream and he could see the dark red blood-coated silver knife. His father had gone mad, raging mad. They had had a secret; he had fallen in love with his sister, and they were dating. When his mother found out, she killed herself, and his father….he couldn't bear to look at his sister, the one, in his eyes, who was responsible for her mother's death….so he killed her. Killed her. And so the masked man learned to mask his true emotions; veil his true persona. His mother was dead; his father ran away, so he wouldn't be convicted of murder. And he, the masked man, did the only thing that, he could, in reality, do: he changed his name and dropped out of high school. He grew up, and he built a stone wall around his soul. He didn't have any talents, except for violence; that he had learned from his father. His father had hit him, so many times, that he should have known what was coming…he should have known that at least one of his father's children would eventually be killed. Anyways, he put on a mask, and made money the only way he could: by being hired by people who wanted vengeance; people who hated other people so badly that they wanted them killed. He didn't care the outcome; all he needed was the money, so he can live, and not die. Yes, he knew that he had sold his soul. But he couldn't live on like the boy he used to be, not with out his sister. And he had this creepy feeling that if he had just stood strong as his real self and then died, once he got to heaven his sister would not forgiven, for it was his fault somehow. Or worse….they had loved….they were brothers and sisters…what if they did not go to heaven? He could not risk that; he decided that he must live forever.

The man with alabaster hair was his new boss; why his boss had followed him here, still was a mystery. Usually they just gave him the money and let him do the job. They didn't risk showing up; they didn't want the blood on their fingertips. They didn't want to get caught; they didn't want to risk getting injured or being killed themselves. They left the dirty work up to the masked man, because he was the dirtiest of them all. Well, not really, but they knew that _he_ thought he was, so they usually played that, and it worked. They got off scott free. Well, so did the masked man, so far. He had killed so many people; even more men than his father had killed…..he shivered, the infamous adage had come true, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

But why had the alabaster-haired man come with him to see to it that Hannah Montana was first tortured and then killed? How sick could a man be that he wanted to_ watch_ his victim die, and have the vision left in his eyes, searing his vision for the rest of his life? The masked man wore a black mask; he never watched his victims die. The image of his beautiful sister dying was gruesome enough. She had had short curly red hair and vivid blue eyes. She had been innocent; she had been perfect; they had not meant to fall in love, but they did, nonetheless. None of it mattered, now, anyways.

The masked man leaned down to the alabaster-haired man and touched his pale skin. It was cold and rubbery, but he wasn't dead. He didn't feel alive; was he even human. What was he? "What are you?" he muttered, barely breathing. In the dark room he had never been so panicked in his life.

The alabaster-haired man didn't respond. He was lying there, on the cold tile, frozen stiff. It didn't make sense. How had he fallen?

The masked man didn't really care for the alabaster-haired man; it was just, the alabaster-haired man hadn't paid him yet, and, well, he couldn't exactly pay him if he was dead. So he had to make sure that the alabaster-haired man didn't die.

He placed two fingers on the alabaster-haired man's right ribs to see if there was a pulse. Thud, thud, thud….it was faint, barely a whisper, but the heart was beating. That was a relief.

The masked man stared at the alabaster-haired man; he was almost mesmerized by the alabaster-haired man; suddenly he really, really, really wanted to kill the fake Hannah Montana; he suddenly hated her with a passion. Before, he had just been in it for the money; but somehow his boss had him in a trance…it was as if he was in control of the masked man's mind. Part of him wanted to fight the urge; another part of him wanted to just say, "What the heck…" and just do it anyways….even if the crazy alabaster-haired guy wasn't controlling him, he'd kill the little diva-imposter anyways.

Who cared about the alabaster-haired man anyways? Who cared about the money? The masked man ran over to the Hannah-imposter's limp body and picked it up and banged it into the wall. He banged harder and harder, but it wasn't enough, she was still breathing….

oOoooooooOOOOOOoincestooooOOOOOOoooooincestooooOOOOOOOOOincestooO

(_Wait…it didn't matter…not right now…right now, Miley was missing…so was his father….and what was he doing, out in the middle of nowhere in the darkest dark of night, while it was pouring rain…what was that going to do to help…? He couldn't find her….it wasn't fair…_

_He sat back down on the cold pavement and stared at the sky. It was useless…)_

Jackson stood up. He wasn't going to let it go down this way. Suddenly he heard a loud noise. A black truck, stranded in the middle of the road. His gut feelings told him to run towards the truck; maybe it would give him a clue or something. Or maybe there was someone who needed help in the truck. Or at least maybe someone who could tell him where the heck he was.

He ran towards the truck. He heard screaming. He kicked open the door, angry. He saw Miley's limp body, being banged into the wall by a mad-man.

"NOOOO….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He screamed. He had a rush of adrenaline, giving him a lot of physical strength as a result. He socked the man in the back and yelled, "IF YOU EVER GO NEAR MY GIRL….I MEAN MY SISTER….AGAIN I'LL KILL YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Jackson saw that there was a knife on the floor of the small room inside the truck; with quick moves he grabbed the knife and held it defensively, aimed at the mad-man. The mad-man was wearing a black mask. He had already killed one person…some eccentric homeless man with long whitish-blond hair was lying on the ground; it looked like he wasn't breathing…it looked like he was dead.

For some reason, the mad man just dropped Miley.

"I'm sorry, man, I didn't know….the same thing that almost happened to you happened to me….I fell in love with my sister so my dad killed her….: the mad-man said.

"What?!?! I don't love my sister…I mean, not in that way…." Jackson said.

(A/N: Miley is unconscious)

"Are you sure? Why'd you accidentally call her your _girl_?...wait, aren't you that Jackson guy…who was "Hannah"'s boyfriend…." The mad-man said.

"No, I mean, yes, I mean….why am I even talking to you? You're a freaking mad-man child abductor or something like that…." Jackson said.

"Just take your sister and leave. By the way, what's her real name? I know it's not Hannah," he said, then, handing him Hannah's bloody wig, "You might want to clean this before she performs again….."

"What, and destroy a perfectly good chance of having you put behind bars _forever?_" Jackson said, grabbing Miley and opening the door to the car and leaving.

He ran fast, as far away from the car as he could. Then he realized he still didn't know where he was. He was still lost. He checked Miley's vital signs. She still had a pulse, and she was still breathing. At least he had managed to save his sister. He hoped that mad-man with the black mask wouldn't try to run after them in his car and kill them or something…because he was pretty sure he couldn't outrun a car….

….was the madman right, though?

Was he falling in love with Miley?

Even though it was wrong?

Maybe.

He wasn't sure right now….but it was a possibility. He didn't want to admit it, because it was way too weird.

Or maybe it wasn't. Weird, that is.

Because it was still love, after all. And it was pure; it was based on pure things. But she would never love him back, so why bother….

…but there was always the _tiniest sliver of hope….a silver moon…..so he would keep holding on._

_Maybe it was true. Maybe he was falling in love with his sister._


	8. Chapter 8

By some chance of fate, Miley had survived. The man hadn't killed her. He had seemed like he wanted to, that was for sure.

Jackson suddenly smiled despite everything. Somehow, he had managed to save his sister. Her leg was bloody. So was her head. Jackson called 911 and an ambulance came. Later, when the news came, things weren't as bad as they could have been. Miley had a mild concussion and a broken leg. Things could have been worse. They were lucky.

"Is she alright?" Lilly asked.

"She will be," Jackson said. He hoped he was right.

Oliver had come to the hospital to see Miley, too.

"So, we're starting the whole midnight circle tirade up again?" Oliver said when there were no parents or doctors or nurses in the room.

Lilly nodded slowly. "Miley wanted to," she said.

"Why?" Oliver asked.

"She didn't tell me," Lilly said.

"Is Sarah coming?" Oliver asked.

"Why, you like her?" Lilly teased.

"I dunno, maybe," Oliver joked, but really he was looking into Lilly's bright blue eyes, and he saw a never-ending orb. Suddenly all he wanted to do was to stare into them for ever and ever.

Lilly appeared sullen.

"Just _kidding_," Oliver said.

A week passed and Miley hadn't woken up yet. The doctors said that she was just sleeping; that she would be perfectly alright.

When she woke up, all of them were in the hospital room. Her father, Jackson, Lilly, Oliver, even Sarah.

"What happened?" Miley asked.

"You don't remember?" Jackson asked.

"My concert….then I was ambushed….then nothing….." Miley stuttered.

"Well. Don't worry, you're alright. I just want to kill the stinking bastard that did this to you," Jackson said.

"Don't," Miley said.

Who are humans to decide who was to live and who was to die? Some people who die, deserve to live….you cannot give them life. Some people who live….deserve to die….but you can not recklessly hand out death. Death is a fate that is not in the hands of mortals to choose…it belongs only to death's slimy, dark fingers, and the immortal beings above who decide when it is time for one to leave the world. But in this cold realm, some people chose to hand out death. Some people become murderers.

But there are some people who have too strong a spirit to succumb to death. Maybe it's just that fate is on their side; that they are meant to live; that there is still something in life they have to accomplish.

Maybe, or maybe not. Maybe it is just luck. But Miley Stewart was alive and for the most part healthy, none the less.

For now, all was well.


	9. Chapter 9

**When there is pain, where is anything else, in this endless orb? What do you want me to say? Who do you want me to be? I will still be that freak, the girl who fell in love with my brother.**

**When I wake up and resurface I am still here and the glass isn't shattered like I thought it was and there Jackson is just standing in front of the hospital bed I am trapped in and he's just smiling and there's concern in his eyes but there's also something else. Does he know…?**

**Does he feel the same….?**

**Could it possibly, possibly be?**

**000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

**At home I know my body will heal; assault is not a thing that lasts forever. 'Man that hospital was stinky,' I think, but then again I'm pretty lucky, if the only long-term damage I have is hospital stank. I silently laugh to myself.**

**Jackson is watching TV. I wonder if he knows that I am watching him watch TV. I study his dark bushy hair and I really, really want to grin, but I don't. I study his body and then I run up to my room to call Lily. We really, really, ****really**** need to start up the midnight circle SOON.**

_**I NEED IT.**_

_**NO.**__** I NEED JACKSON.**_

**Miley dialed Lily's number.**

"**Lily?"**

"**Miley? Omg, are you alright?"**

"**Calm down, Lilly, I'm fine now. 100 hospital-stank-free."**

**A silent giggle on the other line.**

"**Lily…" Miley said. "Call everyone and tell them midnight circle meets Sunday at midnight."**

"**Wait…that's tomorrow. Well, I guess technically the day after tomorrow."**

"**Ya. I know."**

"**Miles? Is something wrong?"**

**Silence on the line; midair a tremor is released. But it is time to tell the truth, at least kindof-sortof. If my best friend cannot accept her for who she is, then who can?**

"**Kinda-sorta."**

"**What?"**

"**I can't tell you on the phone…"**

"**I'll come over."**

**The line goes dead. I sigh. Is she really going to do this? Tell my best friend that I fell in love with my brother, and that, quite possibly (I've seen the signs; I've been watching him) he feels the same way back? That we're not together yet, but it might actually be a possibility?**

_**Yes. **_**I have to. If she can't be honest with her friends, then I'm not a real friend. Right?**

_**Right.**_

**The wall is staring at me right now. What is it whispering? No it's not whispering anything. Aaarg, I'm bored. Or going crazy. Whichever of the two you choose to believe.**

**Oh. Someone's knocking on my door. It's not the wall, after all. I sigh. I'm not going crazy.**

**I walk to the door. It's…Jackson.**

**I want to tell him how I feel. It's now or never. Why am I so afraid? Why am I shaking? **_**I want him so damn much. So damn much!!!!! Its killing me inside and I cannot breathe so I guess I'm suffocating its like there is some black liquid stuck in my main arteries and it is poison that is only there because it has been so long since I've kissed Jackson. That first day, that day we played truth or dare, was venomous; it started something I know I will never be able to escape from. I DON'T WANT TO BE STUCK IN THIS CAGE THAT MY LOVE FOR JACKSON IS.**_

**But love isn't a cage, is it? Or at least, it shouldn't be. I stare at Jackson. He stares back. I feel all sweaty and nervous but then I remember I'm Hannah Montana, I can do this I've got nerve. So I just lean in and kiss him.**

**And guess what? He kisses back.**


	10. Chapter 10

It wasn't that easy to get the circle started, but this time, it was going to be different

It wasn't that easy to get the circle started, but this time, it was going to be different. They weren't babies anymore. Miley and Jackson were in love this time; they only had to admit it to themselves. Miley and Lily had convinced Sarah and Oliver to come over tonight twenty minutes to midnight. Jake and his new girlfriend, Tessa, were both coming too.

The magic was about to start up again. The circle would be lit. The flame would blow in the wind forever, concealing all of their secrets in the utter darkness that brings this deep abyss that all seven of them could hide in. The world wasn't ready for what they had become.

Miley and Lily were at Miley's house, preparing everything for tonight's ceremony. The other day Lily had bought eight candles. For the past half an hour Miley and Lily had been searching the house for a lighter and sharp knives that they could use for the initiation process. The plan was for all of the members to carve a secret word on their upper thigh to pledge allegiance to the midnight circle. The trick was, though, no one would carve the word into their own flesh. Each person would carve the secret word into the upper thigh of the person sitting to the left of him or her in the circle.

"I found the lighter," Lilly said.

"Cool," Miley said. "I found a bunch of sharp knives. I think everything's all set. Now all we have to do is wait."

"I hope people actually come," Lilly said. There was worry in her voice. What if something went horribly wrong?

"Don't worry," Miley said with subtle confidence that somehow wasn't that assuring (what if they took it too far again? What _else_ would they start??), "They will."

"How can you be so sure?" Lily asked.

"I just am," Miley said. "Trust me."

Lily did.

"Lily?" Miley asked.

"Yeah?' Lily replied.

"You know, I have a secret I want to tell you. This is kind of why I wanted to do this. Last night, something happened." 

"What happened?" Lily asked.

"I had sex with Jackson."


End file.
